VOA标准英语2013--美国的失业率下降至7.3%,但雇佣步伐放缓

US Unemployment Falls to 7.3 Percent, But Hiring Pace Slows 美国的失业率下降至7.3%,但雇佣步伐放缓

WASHINGTON — Slower than expected jobs growth in August is likely to weigh on the U.S. central bank’s decision to scale back its monetary 1 stimulus 2 program. U.S. unemployment fell to 7.3 percent in August, the lowest in nearly five years. The Bureau of Labor 3 Statistics says even though 169,000 jobs were added in August, fewer jobs were added in June and July than previously 4 thought.

U.S. companies are still hiring, but theyre adding new jobs at a slower pace than many had hoped.

Cary Leahy at Decision Economics said the job market is the weakest its been in 12 months. Momentum has really slipped. Four months ago the average job gain over three months was 200,000 workers per month. It's fallen to 150,000.

The good news is that unemployment is now at pre-recession levels. The bad news is more Americans have given up looking for work.  

Robert Bixby at the Concord 5 Coalition 6 said thats especially true for those who have been unemployed 7 six months or longer.  

One of the most troubling aspects is not just the number of unemployed, but the number of people that are finding it very difficult to get back into the workforce, said Bixby.

Its a structural 8 problem that has led to the lowest job participation 9 rate in 35 years.

Economic analysts 10 say automatic spending cuts and higher taxes enacted 11 earlier this year have aggravated 12 the problem. Joseph Gagnon at the Peterson Institute said the so-called sequester 13 has been a drag on U.S. growth.

That has held us back. So that has meant, instead of a great year, were just having a sort of so-so year - not a very good year, but not bad; just sort of mediocre 14, said Gagnon.

That mediocre job growth could force the U.S. Federal Reserve to rethink how how fast it scales back policies that have kept long-term interest rates at record lows.

Economist 15 Cary Leahy said the job numbers may be reason enough to delay plans to wind down bond purchases worth $85 billion a month. Even though the Fed may still surprise us and decide to begin tapering 16 this month, this is basically a major reason not to do that."

Not everyone is concerned. A recent survey of new business owners shows confidence at its highest level in more than a year.

Dane Stangler, director of research for the Kauffman/Legal Zoom 17 Confidence Index, said, "One, people are starting businesses, two among the people who are starting businesses, theyre highly confident about one, their own business prospects 18 and two, about the wider direction of the economy.

Bright spots include the manufacturing sector 19, which added 14,000 jobs after five months of declines.  

The average number of hours worked per week also ticked higher in August - a sign that companies need more labor.